Coffee, Food and Drink Recommendations from New York so far…
Spring officially begins this week (though it is still freeeeezing)! As my little blog begins to bloom, I wanted to take a quick look back at the coffee shops, restaurants and bars I have visited since arriving here in New York nine months ago. I often berate myself for not trying enough new things but when I see the list written down, I see that we actually have tried lots of different venues and cuisines – from east to west, economical to expensive, laid back to more luxurious.
This actually makes me wish I had started writing earlier, documenting everything as we went along. I’d love to create a useful list of recommendations for visitors to New York. I am no critic and if I don’t enjoy a place, I just won’t write about it. I liked all the places listed below, for lots of different reasons. You might like them too!
You’ll see that most of these recommendations are ‘downtown’ (i.e. below 14th Street) because that’s where I live and tend to hang out. I’m keen to visit more places uptown this year.
So many of these places deserve separate posts of their own and I do hope to write that way in future. Many serve breakfast, lunch and dinner but I have only eaten as listed below. It’s really just a look back at my time here so far. Hey – I have to start somewhere, so I’m starting… here!
Coffee
First thing’s first. I regularly grab coffee from a street cart or local deli but for more of a treat, try these:
- Kaffe 1668 – Tribeca (http://www.kaffe1668.com/)
- Laughing Man – Tribeca (http://laughingmanfoundation.org/laughing-man-coffee.html)
- La Colombe – Soho / Tribeca and various locations (https://www.lacolombe.com/pages/cafes)
- Le District – Brookfield Place (https://brookfieldplaceny.com/directory/food/all)
- Starbucks – on every corner (swore I wouldn’t go often but they are so handy – no link needed!)
- Stumptown – Greenwich Village (https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/locations/newyork/greenwich-village)
- The Wooly Daily – Tribeca (http://www.thewoolydaily.com/)
- Third Rail – West Village (http://www.thirdrailcoffee.com/) solely responsible for my glazed doughnut obsession.
Breakfast / Lunch or better still… Brunch!
The verb “to brunch” was born here in New York. Almost all the places below serve a good brunch on the weekends and it is such a nice way to get together with friends. Some can be made ‘bottomless’ at a flat fee for the time you have your table booking – check the website or call. I fear this concept would never survive in Ireland, but I’ve certainly been enjoying it here!
This list includes a wide range of places – from fast food / casual options to some fancier suggestions. I have found that lunch (rather than dinner) is a cost-effective way of trying out the more expensive restaurants, as they often have well priced set menus at lunchtimes.
- Agave – West Village (aptly, my first bottomless brunch) (http://www.agaveny.com/brunch/)
- AOC – West Village (http://aocnyc.com/)
- Balthazar – Soho (http://balthazarny.com/)
- Battello – Jersey City (http://www.battellojc.com/)
- Black Seed Bagels – Nolita / Brookfield Place / East Village (http://www.blackseedbagels.com/)
- Bubby’s – Tribeca (http://www.bubbys.com/tribeca/)
- Burger Joint – Le Parker Meridien Hotel, Midtown West (http://www.parkermeridien.com/eat/burger-joint/)
- Buvette – West Village (http://www.buvette.com/)
- By Chloe – West Village and now expanding further afield (http://eatbychloe.com/)
- Cafe Mogador – East Village (http://www.cafemogador.com/eastvillage/) – also in Brooklyn
- Chelsea Market – Chelsea (obviously!) (http://www.chelseamarket.com/)
- Chipotle – lots of these around (https://chipotle.com/)
- Dirty French – East Village (http://www.dirtyfrench.com/)
- Eataly – Brookfield Place / Flatiron (https://www.eataly.com/us_en/stores/nyc-flatiron/)
- Egg Shop – Soho (http://www.eggshopnyc.com/)
- Flinders Lane – Lower East Side (https://www.flinderslane-nyc.com/)
- Hudson Eats – Brookfield Place (https://brookfieldplaceny.com/directory/food/all)
- Katz’s Deli – East Village (https://katzsdelicatessen.com/)
- Le District – Brookfield Place (https://brookfieldplaceny.com/directory/food/all)
- Marea – Midtown/ Central Park area (http://www.marea-nyc.com/)
- Nathan’s Hot Dogs – Coney Island (http://www.nathansfamous.com/)
- Norma’s – Midtown (http://www.parkermeridien.com/eat/normas/)
- Pisillo – Downtown / FiDi (http://www.pisillopanini.com/#home ; http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/09/12/pisillo-italian-panini-tables-for-two)
- Reynard @ The Wythe Hotel – Williamsburg, Brooklyn (http://reynardnyc.com/)
- Roxy Hotel – Tribeca (bottomless) (http://www.roxyhotelnyc.com/dining-nightlife/brunch/)
- Russ & Daughters – East Village (http://www.russanddaughterscafe.com/)
- Sarabeth’s – Tribeca (http://sarabethsrestaurants.com/tribeca) other locations uptown too
- Shake Shack – now city wide but I still like the original location in Madison Square Park the best (https://www.shakeshack.com/location/madison-square-park/)
- Spring Street Natural – Soho (http://www.springstreetnatural.com/)
- Tiny’s – Tribeca (http://www.tinysnyc.com/)
- Two Hands – Soho and also in Tribeca (http://www.twohandsnyc.com/)
- Yerba Buena – West Village (bottomless)(http://ybnyc.com/media/yerbabuena.html)
- Yves – Tribeca (http://yves-nyc.com/)
Dinner
What a treat to be dining out in New York City! It is so exciting to plan new places to try each weekend. Here are some of the restaurants I have enjoyed so far:
- Aria Wine Bar – West Village (http://www.ariawinebar.com/west-village.html)
- Anejo – Tribeca (http://anejotribeca.com/)
- Balthazar – Soho (http://balthazarny.com/)
- Beauty & Essex – Lower East Side (http://beautyandessex.com/new-york/)
- The Black Ant – East Village (https://www.theblackantnyc.com/)
- La Birreria @ Eataly Rooftop – Flatiron (https://www.eataly.com/us_en/stores/nyc-flatiron/nyc-la-birreria/)
- La Esquina – Soho (http://www.esquinanyc.com/)
- Gran Morsi – Tribeca (http://www.granmorsi.com/)
- Ippudo – East Village (http://www.ippudony.com/) also in Midtown
- Mudville – Tribeca (http://www.mudville9.com)
- Miyabi Sushi – West Village (http://www.miyabisushiny.com/)
- Oiji – East Village (http://www.oijinyc.com/)
- The Odeon – Tribeca (https://www.theodeonrestaurant.com/)
- Pasquale Jones – Soho (http://www.pasqualejones.com/)
- Quality Eats – West Village (http://www.qualityeats.com/)
- Quality Meats – Midtown West (http://www.qualitymeatsnyc.com/home.cfm)
- Racines – Tribeca (http://racinesnewyork.azurewebsites.net/)
- Red Farm – West Village, also on Upper West Side (http://www.redfarmnyc.com/)
- Sotto 13 – West Village (http://www.sotto13.com/)
- Sauce – Lower East Side (http://www.saucerestaurant.com/)
- Tamarind – Tribeca (http://www.tamarindrestaurantsnyc.com/tribeca/home.html)
- Tiny’s – Tribeca (http://www.tinysnyc.com/)
- Tribeca Grill @ the Greenwich Hotel – Tribeca (http://www.myriadrestaurantgroup.com/restaurants/tribeca/)
- Walter’s – Brooklyn (http://walterfoods.com/walters/)
Drinks
Many of these places also serve good grub – New York has high standards for bar food.
- The Bar Room @ The Beekman Hotel Atrium – FiDi (http://www.thebeekman.com/eat-and-drink)
- Belle Reve – Tribeca (http://bellerevenyc.com/)
- The Bennett – Tribeca (http://www.thebennettbar.com/)
- Blacktail at Pier A – Downtown / Battery Place (https://blacktailnyc.com/)
- The Brass Monkey – Chelsea (http://brassmonkeynyc.com/)
- Bua Bar – East Village (http://www.buabar.com/)
- The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog – FiDi / Downtown (https://www.deadrabbitnyc.com/)
- The Ides Bar @ Wythe Hotel Rooftop – Williamsburg (http://wythehotel.com/the-ides/)
- Dear Irving – Gramercy (http://www.dearirving.com/)
- Four Seasons (Downtown) – Tribeca (http://www.fourseasons.com/newyorkdowntown/dining/restaurants/cut/)
- The Hudson Hound – West Village (http://www.hudsonhoundnyc.com/)
- The Loeb Boathouse – Central Park (http://www.thecentralparkboathouse.com/)
- The Lobby Lounge @ The Ludlow Hotel – Lower East Side (http://ludlowhotel.com/drink/)
- Marie’s Crisis – West Village (http://nymag.com/listings/bar/maries_crisis/)
- Mr Purple @ the Hotel Indigo Rooftop – Lower East Side (http://www.mrpurplenyc.com/)
- The Plaza Hotel – Central Park South (http://www.theplazany.com/dining/)
- Refinery Hotel Rooftop – Midtown (http://www.refineryhotelnewyork.com/dine-and-drink/refinery-rooftop/)
- Raines Law Room – Chelsea, also in Midtown East (http://www.raineslawroom.com/)
- Smith Hotel – East Village, now also in other locations (http://thesmithrestaurant.com/location/east-village/)
- Smith & Mills – Tribeca (http://smithandmills.com/)
- Tavern on the Green – Central Park (http://www.tavernonthegreen.com/)
- Terroir Wine Bar – Tribeca (http://www.wineisterroir.com/)
- Webster Hall – East Village (http://www.websterhall.com/)
- White Horse Tavern – West Village (http://www.whitehorsetavern1880.com/)
- Wilfie & Nell – West Village (http://www.wilfieandnell.com/)
I hope this list is useful – it really does cover a wide range. If you are visiting New York and have any questions, I would love to hear from you, so please feel free to contact me! I will be posting in more manageable chunks from now on, but I thought this was the most sensible place to start.
Bring on the Spring!
Grace xx